Page 87 of Capture The Moment

He didn’t ask, but he didn’t have to. She had a feeling she knew what he was thinking. “I just bought these,” she said as she removed the condom from the packet. “It’s not only your responsibility to be prepared.” And then she carefully rolled the condom down his impressive length while he watched intently.

“Gotta say, I’m even more turned on now,” he growled, pulling her on top of him again.

She giggled against his lips, but a minute later, her giggles had turned into moans as he entered her slowly and deeply, filling her to the hilt. Wiggling her hips, she found the perfect position, and then she started to move, propping herself up against his chest for better leverage. And truth be told, she wanted to gaze into his crystal-blue eyes as he made love to her. Wanted to see how she affected him as they moved together, finding the perfect rhythm to satisfy them both.

Finn’s hands shifted from her hips to her breasts and back again as if he couldn’t decide where was the best place to be. She knew he was getting close when he gripped her hips tightly, almost painfully, and she watched his muscles go taut and his head fling back as he rode out his release.

This time, she was the one who took charge of the clean-up, and when she came back from the bathroom, Finn was lying like a starfish across her bed, sans sheet. Once again, she thought about how she would have loved to capture the moment on camera: that satisfied smile, the glisten of sweat on his skin, the way the light filtered in through the blinds, casting cool shadows across his bare body.

She was so lost in thought that it took her a second to realize he was looking at her too.

“Come here,” he said, crooking his finger at her.

“I should probably check on Daisy.”

“Petunia’s fine. Five more minutes.”

And so, she went to him, crawling onto the bed, naked, to curl up by his side.

They were quiet for a few minutes, basking in the afterglow and silently interpreting what had just happened between them. It was more than having sex, and they both knew it, but only one of them was unafraid to put a label on it.

Gently stroking her hair, her head against his chest, Finn said, “I want you to know something. And I don’t want you to say anything. Not one word. Promise me.”

“Ok,” she said, her heart leaping to her throat.

He continued to stroke her hair as he whispered, “I love you, Harper.”

She immediately tipped her head up and searched his eyes as if to confirm what he’d just said.

“I do. I love you. And I know you’re not ready to say it back, and I don’t expect you to. But I wanted you to know. And this doesn’t have to make things awkward between us, so please don’t let it. Ok?”

He was holding her face in his hands now, and she didn’t even realize that a tear had fallen until he gently wiped it away.

“Promise me,” he said again.

“Ok,” she said, her tears flowing freely now.

“Come here,” he said, and pulling the sheet up over them, she nestled into the crook of his arm, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.